What is going on with F17?

What does F17 means. Is it an attempt to create a formula class similar than F18 but for unirigs? Or just a confusing (and sale pitch) name for I17's.

We consider inviting F17's for our east coast event along with the F18s but I need first to understand it. Could FX ones race boat for boat with I17? I would like to.

Any information very welcome

Jacques Pierret

SHBCC Race.org

F17, in my opinion, is exactly what you suggested; a confusing sales pitch. I suppose that maybe it's an attempt to start a new formula class - but unlike F18, F17 is an initiative started by a single manufacturer (and unlikely to succeed in this regard). Personally, I have not seen any "F17" measurements or rules as it pertains to the formula. Also of note is that the I17 platform saw a large round of general modifications when the boat went to being referred to as F17 (clever disguise?). A lot of these are desireable performance or manufacturing reliability modifications but they caused a stir within the already existing I17 class.

The Nacra F17 is a speedy single hander - but there's not really a 'formula' 17 class in existence nor have I heard of much push to create one.

You guessed it. It's a sales pitch. Much like calling their F18 an F18 model. It's very confusing to the newcomer.

The F17 is a concept created by Performance to make a Formula class of Performance only I17's. It consists of two configurations.

1- The standard I17 configuration for crew weight under 205lbs I think.
2- The standard I17 with a larger spinnaker for crew weight above 205lbs.

I'm not sure if 205 is the number but it is close.

This new sail plan will be in effect next year for Performance Race Week.

It is a confusing situation. They should have just called it an amendment to the I17 rules.

Mike Hill
Tiger #1520

succinctly,

I'd go with the "or whatever"

Must have done something right. I see there's 20 F17s
coming to Nacra North Americans in 2005.
PRW
Ted

Read F17 as I17R...

It's a marketing tool.......

There is no recognized multi builder class called F17

The I17R class has agreed to equalize crew weight with two sizes of spinnakers and renamed this configuration as F17.

Likewise, NENSA declared the F20 fleet to be any 20 foot boat with a chute equal to or less then the Nacra NE 6.0 chute. (aprox 28 sq meter)

However,
An interesting race would be the I17R Texel rating of 103 and USPN of 66.7 competing against the F16 uni’s Texel rating of 101 but a USPN of 67.6

(The FX1 with chute is way behind the pace with a texel rating of 107 and very little US Data reported)

Note Texel is a formulae based rating which has some sweet spots. Portsmouth is a statistically derived rating based on real world performance. The amount and quality of the data determine the accuracy of the rating.

>>Note Texel is a formulae based rating which has some sweet spots. Portsmouth is a statistically derived rating based >>on real world performance. The amount and quality of the data determine the accuracy of the rating.

When looking at the I17R (F17) and the F16's I think you will find that there are no sweet spots that favour one over the other. If anything the F16's get a hard rep because of their lightweight but that is rather limited as de largest difference is between singlehanders and doublehanders as these two modes can easily be 100 kg apart.


>>An interesting race would be the I17R Texel rating of 103 and USPN of 66.7 competing against the F16 uni’s Texel rating of 101 but a USPN of 67.6


For some time, actually since the beginning, we F16 sailors regard the current USPN rating of the F16's to be a peach. We have request a faster rating in the past but didn't get it. At the DCC event this year the F18 rating of the F16's was confirmed. The boats can sail of that. At mixed F18/F16 race in 2004 in the US saw the F16 winning on first in wins as well. Simply put 66.7 is too slow. I trust that data from the Alter cup qualifier area D and Wild cat regatta (both held in 2004 and won by F16's) will be submitted to US sailing. If anything the F16's DPN ratings should be around 65 (A-cats) at minimum. I'm not to sure wether 66.7 for the I17R is fair either I think that should be closer to the A'cats as well.) I trully believe that the difference between the I-17R's and the F16's should be quite minor. At least small enough to race first in wins in most conditions. The new fully optimized F16's like the US build Blade F16, Stealth F16 and the newly launched upgraded Taipan F16, all especially so. I for one would propose to a group of I17R and F16 sailors to forget about handicaps and race first in wins. How much difference is there between 66.7 and 67.6 anyway ? 35 seconds in a 45 minute race. That is well within the statistical uncertainty and honestly alot smaller than the seperation between the first 3 finishers.


>>(The FX1 with chute is way behind the pace with a texel rating of 107 and very little US Data reported)

FX-ones were raced by F16's this year and from it I think it to very unlikely that they could race I-17R's on a equal basis. They may speed up in the higher wind speeds. I think 16.5 sq. mtr. on a 8.5 mtr mast is a whole lot to keep down on a I-17R. That is like singlehanding an F18 (17 sq.mtr. on same length mast and 30 kg more platform weight).

Having said this; the FX-one seem to beat effortlessly the standard I-17 boats (note R versions) in turn.

Right now the I-17 seems to have the better solo sailors. Most F16's sailors seem to race doublehanded more often (Seth Stern (FL) and the Californians being the exception)

But a race between I-17R's and F16's (solo) would definately be an interesting one. As much as the 2004 and 2005 A-cat/F16 (1-up) races at Gulfport.

Wouter

Well, I have seen the only FX One (with spi) at the statue race beat all the I17, plus some I20, H20, Tigers and I am talking elapsed time.

This race included downwind, reaching and upwind. Wind 10-15 knots.
A very good sailor on it, but still...

I was very impressed by the performance on a four hours race.


Anyway, thanks for your input.